What is the increase of sedition? What is the increase of murder? What are the consequences of increasing sedition and murder?
Sedition in the Muslim lands began during the caliphate of ‘Umar (may Allah be well pleased with him). The manifestations of these, however, have been different in every period. In other words, all these tribulations do not have to take place at the same time. They will be realised at different times and in different forms until the Last Day.
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace said) once said:
“There will come a time in which there will be many reciters of the Qur’an and few people of understanding (fuqaha’); knowledge will be taken away and there will be a lot of harj.”
He was asked, “Messenger of Allah, what is harj?”
He said, “Killing among you. There will then come a time when the Qur’an is read by people but it will not go beyond their throats (that is, it will not penetrate their hearts and be put into practice).
Then after that will come a time when the disbelieving hypocrite, will dispute with the Muslim, using the same arguments as him.” (Hakim, Mustadrak, IV, 504/8412. cf., Bukhari, ‘Ilm, 24)
Indeed, the notable increase in our day of modernist and historicist theologians – so-called scholars – who interpret the Qur’an and Sunna with their inadequate understanding and make an attempt at religious reform, of excommunicators (takfiris) who fight Muslims supposedly in the name of Islam and of ignorant Sufis who again damage the straight path of the religion, confirm these prophetic statements.
The warning of Allah’s Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace said) to Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be well pleased with him) on the matter is an important point of reference for all of us:
“Ibn ‘Umar, hold fast to your religion. For it is your flesh and blood. Be mindful of who you take it from. Take it (the religious sciences) from the steadfast scholars and do not take it from those who have deviated.”[1]
It thus becomes clear that at the time just before the Last Day, life and existence on earth will be a torment for people. Human life will become so cheap that the killer will not know why he killed and the slain why they were slain. Even those who have nothing to do with religion and religious sentiment will dread being in the world and will seek death.
Turning to goodness in such a climate and undertaking deeds of righteousness is a tremendous thing. For this reason, times of ease and peace should be appreciated before the advent of this difficult period and time of turmoil and such opportunities turned into capital for eternal happiness.
Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace said) provides the following warning:
“Hasten to perform good deeds before the emergence of turmoil which overtakes like black night. A man will be a believer in the morning and an unbeliever by the evening, or he will be a believer in the evening and an unbeliever by the morning; he will sell his religion for worldly gain.” (Muslim, Iman, 186)[2]
“…Those who hold fast to their religion at such a time are like those holding burning coals in their hand.” (Ahmad, II, 390)[3]
At such times, the weak believers will disregard the Qur’an and the Sunna and act according to their own limited comprehension and understanding and will keep their worldly interests at the fore even when interpreting Qur’anic verses and prophetic narrations.
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) says:
“The righteous will disappear one by one until only the dregs remain, like the dregs of barley or dates, and Allah will pay no regard to them.” (Bukhari, Riqaq, 9)[4]
[1] al-Khatib al-Baghdadi, al-Kifaya fi ‘ilm al-riwaya, Medina: al-Maktaba al-‘Ilmiyya, p.121.
[2] Also see Tirmidhi, Fitan 30, Zuhd 3; Ibn Maja, Iqama, 78; Ahmad, II, 303, 372, 523.
[3] See also Muslim, Iman, 186; Tirmidhi, Fitan, 30/2196.
[4] See also Darimi, Riqaq, 11.
Source: Osman Nuri Topbaş , Journey To Eternity, Erkam Publications
